Go, Go Gadgets!

With the holiday season approaching, my tiny kitchen is shaking in its boots. Three teenagers—who are all addicted to Pinterest—will be giving my stovetop, oven, mixers, utensils and measuring cups quite a workout over the next few months, trying out new recipes and whipping up delicious new goodies. And I will likely be close behind, cleaning up the mess.

Watch out, holidays, here we come.

Thankfully, I have some go-to gadgets that’ll see us through the season and help me and my kitchen keep our sanity. Here are some of my faves that we use when the cooking and baking get out of control.

VeggiChop Vegetable Chopper. Okay, I know this is weird, but my 15-year-old son loves to chop vegetables—as long as it doesn’t require a big knife. And his 18-year-old sisters appreciate that when they want to cook. This little manual food processor is so great for making salsas, dips and rubs, and it’s way lighter and easier to clean than the food processor. And best of all, my son loves to use it, and I don’t worry that he’ll get his hand caught in something dangerous.

FingerTongs™. I love these things—they allow my kids (and me) to cook with our hands, which is awesome when you’re tired of using awkward spatulas or spoons for flipping or sautéing. They’re made out of heat-resistant silicone, and they allow for controlled flipping and grasping of food. At $15, they’re well worth the peace of mind they give me.

Corkcicle. DISCLAIMER: This is not for my kids, your kids or any kids. This is solely for the adults who like to either have a glass of vino while they’re cooking, or sit and relax while their teenagers tear up the kitchen themselves. Basically, the Corkcicle helps keep wines at the ideal drinking temperatures from the inside out, keeping chilled whites chilled and cooling down reds. I love it.

Banana slicer. One of my kids’ favorite snacks is sliced bananas sprinkled with a little cinnamon and sugar. This handy gadget lets them slice a whole banana in one fell swoop without a knife, and it’s just over $2.

Ice Orb Vertical Ice Cube Tray. We don’t have an icemaker in our freezer (I know—very old-school), but my kids love smoothies, so this thing really comes in handy. You can make ice, store ice and keep things like ice cream or dip cold with this cool ice cube tray. It makes up to 21 cubes at a time, and it holds up to 51. It’s unique because it’s vertical. The inner bucket pushes water into the recesses on the sides of the outer bucket, then it freezes into the distinct orb shapes. So cool and only $20.